Raphael Costner ( A Different Path)
Raphael Costner, or Rafe 'for short, is a Lieutenant Colonel within the Imperial Military who's leader of the Surprise and Attack Division of the Imperial Military, a special faction that through their military exploits and reputation for devastating blitzkrieg tactics earned them the infamous nickname "Hellraisers". Rafe on his own, albeit only having just been promoted to Lieutenant Colonel several years prior before the start of the Revolution, has gained prestigous remarks from the Prime Minister and Emperor, which in turn inspired the giving of his nickname "Supreme Soldier" for sustaining various injuries, ranging from minor to life-threatening, and continuing to fight against all odds. To his enemies and those he's faced on the battlefield, however, his brutal tactics and overwhelming power have caused them to remember him as "Hell's Warden", for his hellish appearance and Teigu, 'Ten Thousand Suns: Amaterasu, with which he has laid waste to countless armies and left a trail of fiery destruction. He was originally campaigning with his division of fifty thousand men in the northwest until he was called down by the Prime Minister to participate in the defense of the Imperial Capital, however that was quickly changed to securing the Shisuikan after the new Great General and her subordinate massacred the Revolutionary Army units stationed there. There they remained for a while until Rafe was ordered by Jacqueline to transport his forces to the Western Nations where, along the way, the Hellraisers were gifted with the siege Teigu Corpse Swallower: Hræsvelgr. While there his division held the entirety of the nation's three unified countries hostage with Hræsvelgr, dealing with the resistance from the surviving Western Nations' military for a time until the Jaegers and Night Raid arrived to assist them. Appearance Raphael is a tall men with a muscular and well-toned build, thanks to his service in the military, who is dressed in the outfit of a soldier with baggy pants, a heavy colt, elbow and knee guards as well as armored boots and gloves, a metal bowl helmet, and covering the entirety of his head and face is a gas mask. Providing him vision are a pair of red-tinted glass eye holes, and the mask itself is linked via flexible hose to a filter cartridge he wears next to a series of packs he wears across his chest. Underneath his facial wear and helmet he's been described as being quite handsome, possessing a slight stubble, greenish blue eyes and messy, fiery red hair that goes along with her persona as "Hell's Warden". Personality Raphael is a true soldier at heart who lives for the thrill of battle and expects the utmost respect from the men under his command. He is utterly focused on his duties and will not stop until the mission is completed. It is almost as if he has exterminated any emotions, characteristics or education that do not contribute to the swift execution of his duties. This makes him a ruthless and vicious opponent in any confrontation. Due to his various combat experiences he has encountered various life-threatening situations and gained multiple wounds and scars over the years, which led to him eventually getting used to the feeling of pain and learned to ignore it. He does however possess some level of compassion for his men and those he considers his allies, and despite his reputation he possesses great charisma and can inspire anyone to fight alongside him. He also shares the same views as the late Great General Budo and doesn’t affiliate himself with the Prime Minister and downright hates him for what he has done. He is highly intelligent, somewhat villainous and menacingly calm, always speaking in a sly, sharp tone, and it's always hinted that he does possess a certain level of pyromania due to his constant referrals to flames and burning things. Equipment / Skills Raphael is a very strong individual without his Teigu, thanks to his constant training and enlistment in the Imperial Military, which as a result has gifted with a toned, muscular and physically fit body. Due to this he has been able to survive through many battles and engagements, receiving a range of minor to life-threatening injuries along the way, which in turn lead to the Lieutenant Colonel eventually obtaining a abnormally high tolerance to pain, stating that he can't even feel anything anymore. Upon gaining his Teigu, however, his combat prowess shot through the roof and he quickly established himself an infamous reputation among both friend and enemy alike as "Hell's Warden", with his division, the Surprise and Attack Division, earning the nickname "Hellraisers" due to their overwhelming power and the uncanny ability to incite fear and terror among those whom they face. He's an exceptionally swordsman and catches many an opponent off guard to the unorthodox appearance of Amaterasu, which is a twelve foot long chainsaw through which Raphael can channel the black flames his Teigu can create in order to lay waste to the battlefield with swift and lethal movements coupled with devastating force. He is also a brilliant tactician which enabled him to be promoted to Lieutenant Colonel in the first place and gain him the position as leader of the Surprise and Attack Division. As stated by Esdeath, if she had never been around to claim Demon's Extract, there was no doubt in her mind that Raphael would've easily been able to become known as the "Empire's Strongest General". Gallery